Bottle stopper



April 7, 1953 G. A. KIMBER 2,634,014

' BOTTLE STOPPER Filed Dec. 22, 1949 lll' Li Patented Apr. 7, 1953 UNITED: STATES PATENT, OFFICE BOTTLE STOPPER George A. Kimber, ChicagoJll. Application December 22, 1949, Serial No. 134,445

ZClaims. (01.215-47) My invention belongs to that general class of sealing stoppers or corks, and particularly to an improved cork or stopper for containers, the same being particularly designed for use on vacuum bottles or the like, its use, however, not being confined to vacuum bottles.

The invention has among its objects the production of a simple, convenient, durable, sanitary and inexpensive sealing device or closure for use wherever the same may be found applicable.

I More particularly, the invention has as an object the production of a device of the kind described of yieldable, resilient or elastic material of cylindrical formation provided with a tubular bore open at'the bottom and closed at the outer or top end by a diaphragm, movable out of or into the bore upon applying or removing the cork from the bottle, whereby the cork may be readily applied or removed from the container as hereinafter described.

The same has particularly as an object a closure of the kind described which may be readily removed from the container in which hot liquids have been placed and which may have cooled to a more or less extent, tending to create a vacuum in the bottle or container, making it more or less difiicult to remove the same from the container. Likewise, in applying the cork to a bottle, the cork may be readily pushed into the bottle neck, any air or fluid pressure at the inner or bottom end of the cork being relieved by the air or fluid moving into the tubular bore of the cork.

A further object is the production of a closure or cork of the kind described which is sanitary in that it will not absorb the liquid and retain it whereby the cork may possibly become sour, smell or become rancid, and which cork may be readily washed and even boiled or sterilized without disintegration.

While the use'of the cork is not limited to vacuum bottles,'it has particularly as anobject the production of a cork for such bottles comobvious to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein given.

To this end my invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like or corresponding parts:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cork or closure applied to a Thermos bottle, only a portion of the bottle being shown;

Fig. 2'is a sectional view through the preferred form of the closure, the diaphragm positioned within the bore of the cork;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the diaphragm extended outwardly of the bore; and

Fig. 4 is a top view in elevation.

As illustrated, the cork, generally indicated by the numeral I, consists of a body 2 of semielastic material such as rubber, having an interior bore 3 and a flange 4 at the top, the body being open at the bottom as indicated at 5. The bore is closed at the top by a flexible diaphragm 6 preferably formed integrally with the body. The

body portion 2 is preferably of some thickness but compressible, and the diaphragm 5 is of a substantially reduced thickness so that it is readily flexible, the thickness of the material at I at the outer end of the bore being substantially equal to the thickness of the diaphragm in the preferred construction.

The transverse area of the bore is preferably greater than the area of the bottom face 8 of the body. In the preferred construction the body member 2 is'increased in diameter by a bead 9 at the inner end. As shown in Fig. 2, the material at the juncture of the diaphragm and body at the flange 4 is preferably spaced back from the top face In of the flange. The diaphragm 6 is of such flexibility that it may be drawn or pushed into the bore 3 as shown in Fig. 2 or be pushed outwardly as shown in Fig. 3. I have shown the cork or stopper in connection with a vacuum bottle l2, it beingunderstood that 12 represents any type of bottle or container, the cork being designed or proportioned to closely fit the inner wall of the neck of the bottle when the same is inserted in the bottle neck.

Assuming that the bottle is filled with liquid to a reasonable fullness, allowing for a cork to be inserted, the inner end of the cork is moistened, either by applying water thereto or by placing it in position to enter the bottle whereupon the bottle may be tipped so as to allow the liquid to wet the inner wall of the bottle neck. The cork may be readily seated by placing the thumb and first finger around the top of the cork, pressing it down firmly into the bottle with a slight turning action. As the cork is pressed down into position, the trapped liquid and compressed air below will force the diaphragm at the inside of the cork to become an enlarged bulb on the top of the cork as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Assuming that the vacuum bottle is filled with hot liquid to a reasonable fullness allowing the cork to be inserted, in a short time a partial vacuum formed from the loss of heat from the contents of the bottle 'as the liquid cools will produce a suction onthe lower portion of *the cork, drawing it more tightly into the bottle. It will be obvious that the cork may be readily applied to the bottle and pushed into :seating position as the trapped liquid or compressed air due to action of the diaphragm will noticushion the cork and resist its insertion .in the bottle neck.

The bulb formed by the diaphragm at the outer end of the cork is not deflated by the vacuum when the contents of the huttle :cools because the aperture into the flaulb is :of less superficial area than the lower-or end .pcrtioneoi" the 'cork. The cork may be readily removed .fromzthe bottle by the thumb and ferefinger "with :a slight turning action and in most instances the diaphragm :re-

turns t'o its position zinside athe body of the cork as the cork is withdrawn. :If 'howeverb'there is any hesitation, :a slight %touch :of :the bulb with the finger will pause theidiaphraghi to snap back into the bore.

Fuurn the :ioregningait will be obvious that the insertion of the'cork in the bottle .neck is not opposed or resistediby the air orliquid pressure .in- :side the :container so that it may be fully :seated and 'zfirmly grip the inner wal'l of the bottle neck. Obviously, the memo-valor :the'cork in the manner nrentione'd wmay :be facilitated by the i diaphragm being zdrawn inward-lyby the airin-the bulb break- :ing the vacuum. While the cork and diaphragm may "be constructed pf :any suitable material, I prefer :to use firmbuttpliablerubber which issanitarysinceit will-not absorbthe liquidand-become sour or rancid, which cork rmay be .readilysteri- .lized without disintegration. Thebod-yandr-clia- 1! phragni -=.being of integral construction, the cork may be economically:manutactured and of course in sizes to fit the particular :bottle with which the :same is :to be employed. 1 wish to (be understood, however, :that the body of the -;cor"k-and the diaphragm (need-notbeintegralas showngbut the integral 1c'onstruction is :fooleproo'f, automaticin operation and-i-orreasons of veconomy in manufacturing is preferred.

Having thus describedamy invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in athesame without departing from the spirit of my invention; .hence, I do :not wihlto be understood as limitingtmyself to the exaclt form, construction, -arrangement and combination .of parts herein shownland described, or uses mentioned.

What .-I claim as new Jandidesire 'to secure lb'y LettersPatent is:

1. An elastomeric bottle stopper of the kind described comprising an elongated elastic annular body having an enlarged flange at the outer end and a bead on the periphery thereof at the 0pposite end and provided with a tubular bore extending from end to end of the body, and an elastic substantially hemispherical diaphragm molded integrally with the body of the stopper at the outer end of the bore, the normal overall outer surface area of said diaphragm being less than the inner surface area "whereby the diaphragm is normally biased within the tubular bore, said diaphragm being flexible and substantially thin so as to extend out of or into the body of the stopper to increase or decrease the interior fluid-capacity of the bore, said diaphragm formed contiguous .to the bore and adjacent the outer face of the flange, whereby said diaphragm under internal pressure is adapted to flex outwardly in a substantially spherical shape so that a portion :or" the outer "surface thereof :is in contact with the bore :Con-tiguotm thereto, and saiddi-aphr-agm under externally applied pressure after being fiexed'outwardly adapted to iiex inwardly into its normally biased substantially :spherical shape so that a portion of the inner surface thereof is in contact with the :bore'contig-uous thereto for'ease in removal of the stopper from the bottle.

2. A bottle stopper of thekind-described comprising an "elongated elastic annular body provided with a tubular bore extending from -end .to end oi the body, and .anelastic substantially hemispherical diaphragm i-molded integrally with the body of the stopper at the :outer end of the bore and said diaphragm being normally retained within the tubular bore, said diaphragm being flexible and -.substan-tia1-ly thin ?and adapted as molded to extend out of or into the body :of the stopper, the normal overall ou-ter surfacearea of said diaphragm being less than the inner-surface area thereof whereby the-diaphragm is normally biased within the tubular (bore :under non-use conditions of the stopper yet'adapted to bee tended out of the-stopper by any applied internal pressure greater than the biasing iorcenormally retaining the diaphragm within-the tubular bore, and the hemisphericaldiaphragm together with the tubular bore-allowing lateral deformation of the annular body and diaphragm during ,the insertion and removal of the stopper.

GEORGEAA. KIMBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the .file ,of this patent:

UNITED STATES PAII'IEHI IS 

